The National Resource Centers Program provides grants to institutions of higher education to establish, strengthen, and operate comprehensive and undergraduate centers that are national resources for: (1) Teaching modern foreign languages, especially the less and least commonly taught languages; (2) Disciplinary instruction to provide a thorough…

The International Research and Studies Program supports surveys, studies, and instructional materials development to improve and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields. The purpose of the program is to improve and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies and other…

Suggests the time is right for language departments to seize the opportunity created by the interest in globalization and to carve out a central place for themselves in three areas: international studies, professional education, and study abroad. (Author/VWL)

African languages and cultures are undertaught in American universities. Some problems, such as the lack of language teaching materials, might be corrected. But universities place a low priority on area studies in general, and on African studies in particular, and methodologism tends to occur at the expense of genuinely international offerings.…

Discusses findings of the President's Commission of Foreign Language and International Studies which show that less than 16 percent of secondary school students and less than 9 percent of college students elect foreign language courses. Only 3 percent of college students take a course about a foreign culture. Also discusses new legislation which…

The Self-Instructional Language Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is described. Students transcribe their own set of lessons from master tapes and are expected to study at least two hours daily. Each week they converse in small groups with native speaker "drill instructors." (MLW)

The recommendations and conclusions of a conference on globalizing American higher education are summarized. In the area of international studies, the recommendations focus on curriculum development, faculty incentives, administrative structure, interinstitutional linkages, and evaluation. In the area of foreign languages, it is recommended that…

Explores the relationship between foreign language and international studies, focusing on the resulting closer connection between language, content, and context in foreign language departments and courses; cross-cultural components, traditional foreign language instruction, and courses emphasizing cultural awareness. (CB)

This paper examines the need for the integration of language and business studies to enhance successful implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. For college and university graduates to deal effectively with French-Canadian and Mexican business people and consumers, they must be exposed to their languages and their cultures. This…

Outlines five directions foreign language programs can take and makes the following recommendations for classroom teaching: (1) link foreign languages with international studies and (2) teach languages for career purposes, (3) for intercommunity understanding, (4) for insight into the process of communication, and (5) to serve as a key to…

These hearings concerned a proposed Foreign Language Assistance Act and a Congressional Resolution designed to promote the study of foreign languages and international affairs at all levels of education in the United States. Testimony was given by concerned members of Congress, keynoted by former Senator J. William Fulbright, as well as by…

At the National Governors' Association annual meeting, the governors outlined a range of actions that state officials could take to promote increased activity in international education. Their primary motivation was improving the economy. The "global education" controversy is discussed. (MLW)

International education and foreign language instruction are seen as so weak and underfunded that fundamental American security interests are jeopardized. A model of a federally-supported international education grant program is proposed that would serve as an umbrella structure for generating, coordinating, funding, and implementing new…

Excerpts from final report of National Assembly on Foreign Language and International Studies (Nov. 1980) recommend additions to higher education to encourage development of curricula with a strong international component. Emphasizes importance of second-language instruction and international studies within an integrated curriculum, cooperation…

Global higher education can no longer be viewed as secondary; it is essential for educating graduates to cope creatively with the modern world. Second languages are central to the global curriculum; study abroad is desirable. In addition, global education involves a broader way of thinking, not merely a certain content. (MSE)